Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to the field of heat therapy. More specifically, the present invention relates to a disposable hypothermia article used to supply a source of controlled temperature air to a patient""s full body.
2. Description of the Related Art
During and after a surgical procedure, it is well known that the loss of body temperature by the patient can lead to hypothermia. Accordingly, it is well known to apply heat to the patient in order to replace the heat that is lost. While heat loss associated with surgery is discussed herein, it is well known that hypothermia is also caused by other circumstances, such as prolonged exposure to extreme cold. No matter what the cause of hypothermia, it is essential to apply heat to the patient in order to either prevent or overcome hypothermia.
One method for applying heat to a patient is by directing warm air toward the patient. Of specific interest is a generally U-shaped hollow tubular member through which heated air is supplied. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed is U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,400, titled xe2x80x9cConvective Hyperthermia Article,xe2x80x9d issued to Berke on Nov. 24, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,101, titled xe2x80x9cMethod and Apparatus for Treatment of Pediatric Hypothermia,xe2x80x9d issued to Augustine, et al., on Apr. 5, 1994.
The ""400 device disclosed by Berke is a U-shaped device having two substantially parallel legs positioned adjacent to and extending a substantial length of a patient""s body. The ""400 device has a tubular cross-piece connecting the two legs, through which heated air is directed by a heat source. The ""400 device includes an upper layer of material and a lower layer of material that are joined together at fold lines along side seams to provide a tubular leg through which heated air is directed. Through the inner surface area of the legs and the cross-piece, a multitude of discrete, uniformly spaced, air holes are punched entirely through the upper and lower layers of material along a side seam for flow of heated air through each discrete air hole. Each air hole provides a stream of heated air that is ejected from each hole at a rate depending on the diameter of each hole and the rate of pumping of the heated air through each tubular leg.
The ""101 device disclosed by Augustine is a device similar to that disclosed in the ""400 patent, except that the device fits an infant or small child and includes coverings that are attachable along the length of the inflatable body. The device includes a multitude of apertures for the ejection of air, with the apertures extending entirely through an underside layer and an upper layer of material having a stratum of absorbent tissue paper prelaminated with a layer of heat-sealable plastic bonded thereto.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the therapy device is a full-body therapy device that extends from the patient""s feet to past the crown of the patient""s head. A sheet can be placed over the patient and the therapy device to contain the heated air around the patient.
The therapy device exhausts heated air towards the patient through orifices, or exhaust ports, in the therapy device. The orifices are slits cut into the wall of the therapy device at locations where the exhausting air will be directed towards the patient. In one embodiment, the slits are v-shaped cuts with the v-shaped cut aimed in the direction of a circumference of the inflated therapy device.